Hull to close part of KCOM Stadium as support dwindles over ticketing scheme

Hull City will close part of their stadium next season, having struggled to sell out the KCOM Stadium amid a controversial ticketing system, which will remain for 2017-18.

The Tigers' membership scheme - brought in ahead of the current season - does not offer concessions for children, the elderly or disabled people, a policy which extends to matchday tickets and away fans and is directly at odds with Premier League regulations.

Hull attempted to close the upper tier of the stadium's West Stand when the scheme was originally launched, but faced a fan backlash from those who had held season tickets in the area since the stadium's opening in 2003.

However the section is set to be closed from next season, with Hull owners the Allam family again refusing to offer concessions in the stadium. The closure will also impact upon the seating allocation for disabled fans.

Hull's season ticket prices are among the cheapest when compared to adult prices in the Premier League.

The KCOM has been sparsely populated at times this season. Hull's average attendance of 20,468 is the third-lowest in the division and only greater than Burnley (20,337) and Bournemouth (11,190), whose averages as a percentage of capacity are much higher.

A crowd of just 6,608 attended the FA Cup third-round tie against Swansea City - Marco Silva's first game as Tigers head coach - as fans protested against the Allams' ownership.